Patient Info
Dental Implants Walnut Creek
• Do not spit. Use a tissue to wipe your mouth as needed, or swallow your saliva.
• Do not use a drinking straw. Drink straight from the cup.
• Do not smoke.
• Keep fingers and tongue away from the surgical area.
• Spitting, the use of a straw, smoking, and poking the surgical area can dislodge the blood clot that is forming and will cause bleeding from the area. Also, smoking can increase the chances of an infection.
Some minor bleeding is expected after dental implant surgery. It will usually subside quickly and stop within an hour or two after surgery. A little oozing is normal and may persist for several hours.
Keep gauze on the surgical area with firm pressure for 30–45 minutes.
If bleeding persists, a slightly moistened black tea bag can be a very effective substitute for the gauze One of the ingredients of regular black tea is tannic acid, and tannic acid aids in the formation of blood clots.
If all else fails, call our office at (925) 397-1963.
Most patients will experience some swelling after surgery in the mouth. It may be mild or severe and is different for every patient. The swelling may increase for the first 24–48 hours before it starts to go away. It may last for several days. Some bruising may also develop on the face.
You may start with non-abrasive foods such as mashed potatoes, pasta, cottage cheese, soup, or scrambled eggs as soon as the local anesthetic wears off.
You may resume a regular diet as soon as you feel up to it; however, please try not to chew directly on the implant sites.
You may start rinsing tomorrow, very gently, with some warm salt water (1 tsp of salt in 8 ounces of warm water). The degree of saltiness should be like teardrops. You may brush your teeth per usual, though be very careful near the surgical sites.
